You Make the CallSituation 1
The owner of two pizza restaurants in a city with a population of 150,000 is studying
her firm’s operations to be sure the firm is functioning as efficiently as possible. About
70 percent of the firm’s sales represent dine-in business, and 30 percent come from
deliveries. The owner has always attempted to produce a good-quality product and
minimize the waiting time of customers both on- and off premises.
A recent magazine article suggested that quality is now generally abundant and that
quality differences in businesses are narrowing. The writer advocated placing emphasis
on saving time for customers rather than producing a high-quality product. The owner is
contemplating the implications of this article for the pizza business. Realizing that her
attention should be focused, she wonders whether to concentrate primary managerial
emphasis on delivery time.
Question 1 Is the writer of the article correct in believing that quality levels now are
generally higher and that quality differences among businesses are minimal?
Question 2 What are the benefits and drawbacks of placing the firm’s primary emphasis
on minimizing customer waiting time?
Question 3 If you were advising the owner, what would you recommend?